Can the municipalities prevent medication of mental diseases?

In extension of a large municipality reform in 2007, which reduced the number of Danish municipalities from 275 to 98, it was the intention that the municipalities should assume responsibility for a part of the expenditure connected to secondary sector health care treatment. Furthermore, the municipalities were assigned the responsibility for--and equipped with a number of opportunities for--exerting primary preventive initiatives.

To investigate, whether the municipalities by applying these opportunities have been able to prevent medication of mental diseases. Specifically, this is resolved by analysing whether there are significant relationships between measures of municipal policy opportunities and the proportion of population medicated for mental diseases.

We apply a variety of statistical regression models. Initially, simple linear regression is applied. Next, a Seemingly Unrelated Regression approach, which accounts for intra-municipal behavioural correlation, is brought in play. Finally, this approach is extended to regressions which are adjusted for spatial spillover effects.

The initial simple linear specification indicates a potential significant relationship between municipal policy opportunities and medication. However, when applying a specification which is adjusted for intra-municipal correlation, this relationship vanishes. Finally, there seem to be indications of spatial spillover effects. Thus, the relationship between municipal preventive initiatives and medication seems to be a structural, intra-municipal relationship, rather than a cause-response effect.

Our results show that potential linkages between municipal preventive initiatives and medication for mental diseases are not of a simple nature. Specifically, sophisticated and targeted interventions are needed rather than broad and general public health initiatives.

Though the approach is promising, the data underlying the study is at present relatively weak. Future studies should involve more variables as well as longer times series in order to obtain proper understandings of the potential linkages between municipal policy efforts and medication.